So I just finished #3, a 10’ 7" longboard (paulownia compsand), and I’ve been riding it the last three mornings in smallish (tiny) beach break. It paddles great and catches early and easily. I kept the nose and tail rocker low (5" nose 3.5" tail) and kept a lot of volume out to the rail. The rails are soft to almost blocky 50/50 mainly with a bit of belly in the last two feet. I want to improve this design for next time around and I’m finding two issues with it that stick out.
When taking off on a steeper face, on other longboards I’ve ridden, I seem to be able break the nose out if it starts to pearl a bit. This one, not so much, the nose just stays buried and I end up having to back out. My question is will a more down rail with a little tuck help this or is it more related to rocker or tail volume? I did the nose rails on this one as about a 70/30 up-rail the last 18" or so. Keep in mind this the first borad over 9’ 6" that I’ve ever ridden so it maybe just as it is supposed to be.
When I’m trimming, there is a definite spot where it stops rail turning. It seems like any where a bit forward of center. I expected a little sluggishness farther up, it just seems like I have to step way back to get turns initiated at all. Near the nose, it’s a runaway train on a straight line track. Stable as a sidewalk though. Question here is, is this a wide point issue or is it fin placement or a bit of both? Is there a magic formula for being able to turn a 10’ + board with out taking a stroll all the way back past the middle of the board? In mini beach break you don’t have a lot of time for running up and down the board to make adjustments.
Keep in mind this the first board over 9’ 6" that I’ve ever ridden so it maybe just as it is supposed to be.
Re: maneuvering and nose issues? I think some of that is par for the course with big boards. You’ll likely find yourself moving around to find the various buttons. Your board looks like a keeper. Stick with it. You’ve taken a pretty big step in length and it will take some getting used to.
Generally speaking a wider wide point (24"-25") placed aft of center coupled with some roll in the bottom and boosted tail rocker (4"+/-) loosens big boards up. Additional curve in the outline and rocker makes them easier to turn and the tail seems to fit a steep face better with the rocker boost. Finnage is a matter of personal preference. A box and removable side bites gives you some options to play with.
I’ve never ridden a board over 10’ but I can imagine that a 10’7 board pearls faster. I can drop my 9’1 really on the latest moments almost like a shortboard but I once tried a 10’ and then I hade to take the waves earlier, earlier than possible with the 9’1. I believe that you really have to change your take-off habits with an other longboard (and not only take off).
About rail design: I recently saw some vids about the physics of noseriding. These were very interesting and talked about rialdesign, fins outline, rocker, … Check them out!:
Even though I ride an board that’s “only” 9 feet long. I experience the same issue with the nose. I never had this happen in the “old” days of PU foam. I think the problem is twist, or lack thereof. The compsands are much stiffer and the perimeter rails resist twisting. This resistance to twist is supposed to be a positive, but I’m not so sure anymore. To gain the increased “trampoline effect” I think I traded in some ease of use. In the three years I’ve been riding compsand longboards, I’ve never taken as hard of wipeouts on critical drops as I do now. Many times instead of conforming to the bottom of the wave, the board just knifes in and it’s head slap time! On my newest boards, I adjusted by thinning out the nose, time will tell if this works or not, like Marco said, it’s been small. One tradeoff is the new boards sure feel less floaty, again, not neccessarily a positive trade.
Whoa, are talking about pearling while paddling? Me thinks that’s related to tail rocker. The wave is picking up the tail and sinking the nose.
Actually, I haven’t had much tip time on it, but I haven’t managed to bury the nose while traversing the face yet. It seems to pick a line on it’s own, then my position forward or backward just changes the speed. I was talking about during take off, just as the wave face is approaching, it’s like I don’t weigh enough to keep the back of the board down. Which is probably what’s happening. I shaped this with my 270 Lb. brother-in-law in mind, but is so damned fun so far I may just keep it and work through its little quirks.
Thanks for the input guys.
It’s only day three and I’m already getting razzed as the wave hog. For me it just seems like pay back for the years spent on sub 9’ boards in a line-up full of old guys on logs. I’m really trying to be conscious of etiquette though, and I’m not sitting 20yds outside, snatching every set wave like some of the big board guys do.
